1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to male urinary incontinence devices and more particularly to male external catheters and catheter attachment assemblies utilizing vacuum to aid in installation and retention of the assembly in place on the male patient.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Urination incontinence devices with external catheters, also called urisheaths, are well known and also have well known problems making them complicated, difficult, uncomfortable and generally unreliable from the point of view of persons having to use them. One chronic problem is that of keeping the catheter in place on the penis of the user, for which some of such incontinence devices utilize adhesive interiorly of the catheter. Typical of such usage are the devices disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,475,910, 5,211,640 and 5,059,190. Similarly, the devices disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,997,427 and 5,013,308, utilize relatively complicated body engaging parts which are attached to the male patient's body by adhesive means or belts, to attempt to retain the penis surrounding portion of the assembly in place during use.
Also known is applicant's prior U.S. Pat. No. 5,499,977 which utilizes vacuum in a manner assisting the installation of the catheter assembly onto the user's penis. More specifically, in applicant's earlier external catheter assembly a rolled up elastomeric ring is arranged on the end of a catheter of generally tubular form and engages the end of the male organ, with vacuum being applied at the other end of the tubular form and within the tubular form to firmly hold the tubular form against the penis while rolled the elastomeric ring is unrolled onto the penis. With the catheter tube thus installed the portion of the assembly generating the vacuum during installation of the catheter on the penis is removed and the catheter is then connected to a drainage tube which leads to a urine collection bag. With this assembly, although a vacuum is used to aid in installation of the catheter tube onto the patient male organ, the continuing retention of the catheter tube on the penis is simply by the mechanical interaction between the unrolled elastomeric ring and the surface of the penis and can in some instances be insufficient to avoid leakage or detachment of the catheter.